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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. wax — to grow
  7. shower — rain
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. track — to keep track
  10. track — a song
  11. land — ground
  12. land — a country
  13. land — to come down
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. track — a path
  18. shower — to wash
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com